Conventionally, there is an inspecting method that applies a load (hereinafter, also “stress”, “force”, or “loading”) to an elastic component by moving a hand driven by an external actuator with respect to an assembled body (hereinafter, “workpiece”) having the elastic component assembled thereto so as to deform the elastic component. In this description, the elastic component refers to a component used as a generation source of a stress corresponding to the deformation. The elastic component includes, for example, a spring or rubber. According to the above inspecting method, the load applied to the elastic component and a travel distance of an end portion of the hand are detected; and the characteristics of the elastic component in a state with the elastic component being assembled to the workpiece are inspected on the basis of these detection values. As the characteristics of the workpiece to be inspected, for example, a force (a reaction force) or a modulus of elasticity generated in the assembled state can be mentioned.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a core support plate plug inspecting device that measures a spring constant of a spring, which is a functional component of a core support plate plug. The core support plate plug inspecting device activates an actuator in a state with the spring being mounted on the core support plate plug, thereby pushing a piston (a hand) having a load cell at the end against the spring. The core support plate plug inspecting device detects a loading applied to the piston by the load cell; and detects a travel distance of the piston by a displacement meter. The core support plate plug inspecting device then calculates a spring constant of the spring mounted on the plug on the basis of these detection values. According to Patent Literature 1, it is supposed that, as a work of detaching the spring and the plug is not required, a work for confirming the soundness of the core support plate plug can be easily performed.
Patent Literature 2 discloses an inspection system that inspects a spring force and a spring constant in a state with a spring being assembled so as to be sandwiched between a pump body and a housing. The spring is assembled in a compressed state and is in a state of generating a spring force in an extending direction of the spring, among the directions of action of the spring. An externally threaded member is disposed at a predetermined position in the extending direction of the spring in the housing, and the most extending position of the spring in a range of movement of the pump body is restricted by the external thread member. In the inspection system, a piston driven by an actuator presses against the pump body so as to push the spring in a direction in which the spring in the direction of action of the spring force is compressed. The inspection system then calculates the spring constant on the basis of a loading generated by a pressing force and a measurement value of an end position of the pump body. The inspection system then obtains the spring force in an actual usage state on the basis of force information at a point where the external thread member is separated from the pump body (that is, a point where the force of the spring applied to the housing (a housing reaction force) becomes zero). According to Patent Literature 2, it is supposed that whether the actual spring force after assembly is within a set range can be determined.